Animal-ringing tool



July 15 1924.

Filed May 14, 1923 v INVENTOR FRA In: PETERSO ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1924.

FRANK PETERSON, 0F POCAHONTAS, IOWA.

1 ANIMAL-RINGING T001 Application filed May 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK PETERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Pocahontas, Pocahontas County, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Ani mal-Ringing Tool, or which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved tool for use in applying rings to the noses or ears of domestic animals such as swine and cattle.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a tool for conveniently, rapidly and surely applying rings to the noses of swine, and also for attaching marking tags to the ears of animals by means of rings.

A further object of this lnvention is to provide a ringing and marking tool in which the ring is mounted and positively held by the tool, previous to the application, and the tool may be manipulated and moved to different positions and even laid down without danger of accidental release of the rin I A further object of this invention is to provide a ringing and marking too-1 in which a spring-pressed lever acts surely and positively to close the jaws and compress the ring.

A further object of this invention is to provide a. ringing and marking tool in which a spring-pressed lever acts surely and positively to close the jaws and compress the ring, said leverbeing set under tension by engagement with a trigger.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for releasing the trigger by simply moving the tool forward against the nose of an animal and into position for applying the ring in the proper place.

With these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set' forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure '1' is aside elevation of my improved tool, the movable parts being shown in set position byofull lines, and by dotted lines in a' position where they have moved nearly to the point of 'rest after being sprung, and at the point of completion of the act of closing the jaws and compressing the. ring. Figure 2 is a plan view of the device in set/position. Figure 3 is an end'view ment when once made.

1923. Serial 110,638,891.

in the same position, and Figure 4 a cross-section on the line .4'4 of Figure 2.

In the construction of the 'deviceas shown a bar 10 is formed at one end with an in; tegral handle 11 extending at anan'gle and adapted to be grasped manually in the manner of a pistol for use. Atrigger 12 is pivoted on a pin 13 to the bar 10 at a point near the handle '11 and is adapted for engagement by a finger of the operator at times. Between its free end and pivot the trigger. 12 is formed with a forwardly facing yoke or loop 14 forming a seat forengagement with another member. At its for ward'end the bar 10 is cutaway on'its upper face to form a jaw 15, which is longitudinally grooved on its upper face' at 16 and is adapted to form the lower and rigid member of a pair of aws adapted to hold a ring such as 17. The upper member of the jaws consists of a jaw lever 18, pivoted between its ends on a pin 19 extending through an upwardly projecting ear 20 on the bar 10 near the jaw member 15'. The outer end of the jaw lever 18 is grooved longitudinally on its lower face at 21 and is adapted to cooperate with the rigid jaw member 15 in holding the ring, 17. An operating lever 22 is formed between its ends with an ear 23 which is pivotally connected by a pin, rivet or screw 24 to the bar 10 approximately midway between the ends of said bar. One end of the lever 22, of greater length than the other, extends downwardly Or at times rearwardly, and when eiiten'ded rear: wardly in a position substantially parallel with, and beneath, the bar 10, said longer end is adapted to be received within and held by the looped seat 14 of the trigger. The operating lever 22 is formed between its pivot 2'4'and its lower or rearward end with-an ear 25, projecting from its forward or lower face, and a r'etractile coil spring 26 is fixed at one end to said ear. The forward end of the spring 26 is secured to an car 27 extending downwardly from the jaw lever 18 just back of the pivot 19.

To set the tool the operating lever 22 is oscillated manually to the position shown by solid lines, placing thespring 26 under con.- siderable tension, the trigger 12 being oscillated sufficiently to permit introduction of the rear end of the lever to the yoke or loop 14, the tension placed on the lever by the spring serving to maintain such engage- The: tension or the spring 26. also applies some strain on the jaw lever 18, tending to move its forward end downwardly toward the rigid jaw member 15. This strain, however, because of the leverage, is much less than that on the lever moving its forward end downwardly and applying pressure upon the ring 17 with cientlyto close said ring and cause its points to penetrate a member which may be interposed between said points, such as an ear or portion of a nose of an animal. The forwardend of the operating lever 22 preferably is longitudinally grooved on its upper faceto receive and have a sliding or wiping contact with the rear end of the jaw lever 18, which is slightly curved or rounded on its lower face; thegrooved portion of the operating lever being indicated by dotted lines 28 in Figure 1.

I have also provided means by which the trigger may be sprung and the operating lever released automatically in the act of moving the tool forwardly to position for v applying the ring in the nose of an animal.

A'rod 29 is arranged at one side of the bar 10 and is adapted for a'limited sliding movement in bearings 30, 31 carried by said bar. The rod 29 is bent at an angle between its ends, at the rear of the bearing 31, and its rear end'is formed with a hook 32 adapted for detachable engagement with the lower end of the trigger 12, by means of a hole formed'in said trigger as shown in Figure 4; The forward end of the rod 29 is formed with a cross-head 34 occupying a position at one side of the jaws 16 and 21 and opposite the ring when the latter is in place in the jaws. When it is desired to apply a ring to a relatively rigid member, such as an aniinals nose, the ring is placed in the aws,=the operating lever set and the tool is moved forward manually to'such position that the open ring embraces the member to be perforated, whereupon further forward movement will cause the cross-head 3a to engage and' be moved rearwardly by pressure againstthe nose. This rearward movement of the'rod oscillates the trigger by pressure 'onxthe lower end thereof and the operating lever is sprung and the ring applied to the member. :lhismethod of springing the tool is of conslderable advantage at times as i is not necesary for the operator to perform a conscious and separate act to move the trigger, but simply moves the tool forwardly to place the ring in the proper position, and then continue the forward movement to apply pressure on the cross-head.

The above described method is not used in applying a ring to a flexible or yielding member, such as an ear, as suificient pressure could not be applied to move the trigger. In such cases the trigger is oscillated by the finger in the usual manner.- At such times the rod 29 may be detached from the tool, and to facilitate such detachment the forwardbearing is formed as an upwardly opening spring clip from which the rod may be released by upward movement and then withdrawn from the trigger and rear bearing 31 by forward sliding movement. Rings applied in this manner are usually employed for attaching marking tags or other identification means.

1 claim as my invention- 1. A ringing and marking tool, compris ing a bar formed with a handle at one end anda rigid jaw member at the other end, a trigger pivoted on said bar adjacent said handle, a jaw lever pivoted on said bar ad- I jacent and adapted. to cooperate with the first jaw member, an operating lever pivoted between its ends on said bar, one end of said operating lever adapted for engagement and retention by said trigger, and a spring tending to oscillate said lever when released from said trigger, said operating lever adapted to engage said jaw lever forcibly under the influence of said spring to move said aw lever toward the rigid aw member.

2. A ringing and marking tool, comprising a bar formed with a handle at one end and a rigid jaw member at the other end, a trigger pivoted on said bar adjacent said handle, a movable jaw member pivoted on said bar adjacent and adapted to cooperate with the rigid jaw member, an operating lever pivoted between its ends on said bar, said trigger being formed with aseat adapted to be engaged by one end of said operating lever to hold it in set position, and a spring tending to move said lever through an are upon release by said trigger, said operating member adapted to engage forcibly one end of said jaw member under the influence of said spring to move said jaw member to ward the rigid jaw member and compress a ring mounted therebetween.

3. A ringing and marking tool, comprising a bar formed with a handle at one end and a rigid jaw member at the other end, a trigger pivoted on said bar adjacent said handle, a movable jaw member pivoted on said bar adjacent the rigid jaw member and adapted to cooperate therewith in holding an open ring, an operating lever pivoted.

between its ends on said bar, said trigger seat to be engaged by one end of said lever to hold it in set position, a spring tending to move said lever through an are upon release from the seat of said trigger, said operating lever adapted to forcibly engage said movable jaw member under the influence of said spring to move said member toward the rigid jaw member and compress a ring mounted therebetween, and a releasing member mounted for reciprocation on said bar and having one end engaging said trigger, the forward end of said releasing member being positioned at one side of the jaws and adapted to be engaged and re tracted by pressure against a member in which. the ring is to be mounted.

4. A ringing and marking tool, comprising a bar formed with a handle at one end and a rigid aw member at the other end, a trigger pivoted on said bar adjacent said handle, a movable jaw member pivoted on said bar adjacent the rigid jaw member and adapted to cooperate therewith in holding an open ring, an operating lever pivoted between its ends on said bar, said lever adapted to engage said trigger and be held thereby in set position, and a spring fixed at one end to said operating lever and at the other end to said movable jaw member in such manner as to apply considerable strain on said operating lever and materially less strain on said jaw member to hold the latter in frictional engagement with a ring mounted between the jaw members, said spring acting to move said lever forcibly mto contact with said movable jaw member upon release from said trigger for the purpose of forcing said movable jaw member toward the rigid j aw member and compress ing a ring.

5. A ringing and marking tool, comprising a body, a fixed jaw member formed on one end of said body, a movable jaw member pivoted on said body and adapted to cooperate with the fixed jaw member, a trigger on said body, spring-pressed operating member adapted for engagement with said trigger to hold it in set position and acting upon said movable jaw member when released by operation of said trigger, and a releasing member slidably mounted on said body and having engagement with said trigger at one end, the opposite end of said releasing member being located at one side of said jaw members and adapted to engage an object when the body is moved forwardly for insertion of a ring therein.

6. A ringing and marking tool, comprising a body, a fixed jaw member formed on one end of said body, a movable jaw member pivoted on said body and adapted to cooperate with the fixed jaw member, a trigger pivoted on said body, a springpressed operating member adapted for engagement with said trigger to hold it in set position and acting upon said movable jaw member when released by oscillation of said trigger, and a releasing member slidably mounted on said body and having pivotal engagement with said trigger, said releasing member being formed with an enlarged portion at one side of said jaws adapted to be pressed against an object as the tool is moved forward for operation upon said object, whereby the trigger is oscillated automatically by such forward movement.

7. A ringing and marking tool, comprising a body, a fixed jaw member formed on one end of said body, a movable jaw member pivoted on said body and adapted to cooperate with the fixed jaw member, a trigger pivoted on said body, a spring-pressed operating member adapted for engagement with said trigger to hold it in set position and adapted to act upon said movable jaw member when released by oscillation of said trigger, and a releasing member detachably and slidably mounted on said body and having engagement with said trigger, said releasing member terminating adjacent said jaw members and adapted to be pressed against an object as the tool is moved forwardly for operation upon said object by said jaws, whereby the trigger may be oscil lated automatically by such forward movement, saidtrigger also being adapted for manual oscillation at times.

Signed at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, this 22d day of March, 1923.

FRANK PETERSON. 

